Cord-receptacle



(No Modiel.)

H.'T. SIMMONS. CORD REGEPTAGLE.

No. 447,913. Patented Mar. 10, 1891.

(a Mm QM I UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcne HENRY T. SIMMONS, OF BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA.

CORD-RECEPTACLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,913, dated March 10, 1891.

Application filed October 1, 1890. Serial No. 366,732. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY T. SIMMONS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomington, in the county of Monroe and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cord-Receptacles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention is an improvementin cord-receptacles for use in connection with a table or counter, and is especially adapted for use in connection with supporting counters or ta: bles upon which bundles or packages are to be wrapped and tied.

Theobject of my invention is to provide a cord-receptacle which will be flush with the top of the table or counter and form a continuation of the same, so as not to be in the way while bundles or packages are being wrapped or when the said counter or table is being used to show goods; and my invention further contemplates an arrangement of parts whereby the string or cord is held under light tension, is prevented from returninginto the receptacle, and whereby a knife-edge is afforded to sever the cord when desired.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing a sectional view of one form in which I have contemplated embodying my invention, and the same is fully disclosed in the following specification and claims.

Referring to the said drawing, A represents the supporting-top of a table, counter, or other device upon which goods may be shown or parcels wrapped and to which my improved cord-receptacle is attached. The top A is provided with an aperture or recess, the upper edges of which are also recessed to receive the frame or face-plate Bof the cordreceptacle, which is flush with the upper surface of top A. To this face-plate is attached the receptacle C, which depends therefrom and is preferably of such size as to accommodate a single ball of twine or cord; but it may be made larger, if desired. The face-plate is provided with an aperture of a size sufficient to admit of a ball of cord being passed therethrough, and the inner edges of said aperture are beveled, as shown at b. A pivoted cover D is hinged at one side in the face-plate at d and is provided with beveled edges to engage the beveled edges 1) of the aperture in the face-plate, so that said cover lies flush with the face-plate and with the top of the table or counter. The main object of these beveled edges is to allow the cord to be drawn in a substantially straight line from the ball, thus avoiding the necessity of drawing it around sharp corners, which would otherwise result.

I prefer to provide the cover D with a tailpiece d, which extends beyond the edge of the aperture in the face-plate, and this tailpiece is pivotally connected with the frame or face-plate B at a point between the end of the same and the cover D. The face-plate is provided with a recess into which the tailpiece d exactly fits when in normal position, and the table is also recessed at this point, as shown at a, to allow the tail-piece to descend when the cover D is lifted, as indicated in dotted lines. The cord or string passes from the ball out between the beveled edges of the cover and the aperture which it fits, and the said cover D is made of sufficient thickness, so that its weight will exert a light tension upon the cord as it is drawn out, and also serve to prevent it from returning into the receptacle 0. The edge of the cover D will preferably be so thin and sharp as to form a cutting-edge for the string or cord, so that by jerking the string forcibly against said edge, as indicated in dotted lines, the string will be severed. The construction is such that when thestring is severed by this cutting-edge, as indicated, a frayed end of the string or cord will be left protrudingslightlyfrom the crevice between the beveled parts, the weight of the cover preventing the same from being drawn or falling back into the receptacle 0, and this frayed end may be seized and the string drawn out for the next bundle or package. I may dispense'with the cutting-edge, if desired, and cut' the string in any other manner.

The operation of the device will be apparent from the foregoing description. The cord or string passes out under the tension of the weighted cover D and is prevented from returning within the cover, while the entire device is out of the way when it is desired to use the counter or table for any purpose, as goods or any other article may be placed upon the counter While wrapping or otherwise and may rest upon the cord-receptacle, as no uneven surfaces are provided, and the entire de vice is flush with the top of the table or counter. WVhen it is desired to replace the ball of cotton, the lid or cover D is raised and a new ball inserted.

If desired, I might make the receptacle large enough to receive and hold two or more balls of cord, and the outgoing ends may be passed out beneath the Weighted cover. If found necessary, a slight space may be left between the beveled surfaces of the cover and its seat to allow for the thickness of the cord and to prevent the cover from being raised by the cord above the level of the table or counter.

The device is secured in place by means of screws or other suitable securing means passing through the face-plate or frame and securing it to the table. I

WVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A cord-receptacle having a supportingframe, a pivoted cover provided with beveled portions engaging a seat provided with beveled edges,whereby a substantially direct passage for the cord is provided, and means for securing said supporting-frame to a table or other support, substantially as described.

2. A cord-receptacle having a supportingframe, a cover for said receptacle engaging an aperture in said frame, the said cover having beveled portions engaging beveled portions of said frame, whereby a substantially direct passage for the cord is provided and lying flush with the top of said frame, said frame engaging a recessed support and lying flush HENRY T. SIMMONS.

Witnesses:

O. A. CRAvENs, H. E. STRAIN. 

